For the record, we learned all we needed to know about University of South Carolina (USC) Athletics Director Eric Hyman from the piss poor way he handled the whole Mike Morgan affair earlier this year.
For those of you who missed the dust-up, Hyman basically nodded approvingly as one of the school’s most popular radio announcers got kicked to the curb over a personal vendetta held by Liz McMillan, the school’s top sports marketing agent.
McMillan’s alleged beef?
That Morgan didn’t “play ball” with a pyramid scam that was later brought down by the Federal Trade Commission – a scam that cost one USC football announcer his job and should have cost another, less talented announcer his job as well.
Not to mention McMillan.
Anyway, Hyman basically sat back and watched everything go down, which we suppose is his prerogative.
And why not? He and everybody else involved in this disgraceful display of power-trippin’ got a “pass” from the state’s mainstream media, which was afraid to alienate its high-profile sources.
And so it goes at USC’s Athletic Department – which runs its local sports entertainment monopoly with little regard for the best interest of the fans.
For decades, the trump card played by Hyman and his fellow athleticrats was that “butts were still in seats,” i.e. the sports marketing euphemism for a loyal fan base. And they were right – butts were still in seats, despite the fact that USC has produced a consistently mediocre product in its two top-drawing sports for years.
Now, however, with the failure of the Steve Spurrier experiment becoming increasingly apparent, it looks like the “butts in seats” are starting to reflect a growing frustration.
In addition to lukewarm fan interest in the Gamecocks’ Outback Bowl appearance, USC announced last week that its season ticket revenue was off by $1.8 million – and that its Gamecock Club donations were down by another $1 million. Of course this was largely ignored by the local mainstream media, as was the fact that USC bridged this gap by imposing a new seat fee on season ticket-holders.
That’s right … USC made up for the erosion of its fan base by leveling a $6.3 million tax increase on its most loyal supporters.
Like the Morgan fiasco, that’s just shady business – despite the fact that it balanced USC’s bottom line so that the school can now throw $800,000 from its ESPN TV bonus into a failed hydrogen research experiment.
Like we said, “athleticrats.”
Needless to say, we’ll be keeping a closer eye on USC (and for that matter, Clemson) athletics this year – and not just the results on the field.
Somebody has to hold this program accountable to its fans, and unlike the rest of the mainstream media in this state we could give a rat’s ass who we alienate in the process.
By What? June 17, 2009 at 4:53 pm
For decades, the trump card played by Hyman and his fellow athleticrats was that “butts were still in seats,” i.e. the sports marketing euphemism for a loyal fan base
Hyman has only been at USC for a few years there Will. He didn’t hire Spurrier. He hired Gary Patterson at TCU (great coach). I wouldn’t throw him under the bus just yet. While the Mike Morgan fiasco wasn’t pretty, his hirings of Dawn Staley and Darrin Horn have started out marvelously. He got he Under Armour deal and the ISP deal (yes I know they screwed Morgan, but USC brings in some good money off it). Throw in the Dodie that’s being built and the implementation of the YES program and I’d say he’s doing pretty well.
The economy and the implementation of the YES program were the reasonings behind tickets being down. A lot of old farts didn’t want to pony up for decent seats because they’ve been getting them cheap for so many years, which is the reason for the lack of revenue coming in, and, our ability to match facilities with Georgia, Auburn, Florida, etc.
By CNSYD June 17, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Why does someone in a position of authority in USC athletics have to be held accountable? They never have before. In the words of the late Frank Howard upon being informed that Paul Deitzel had been hired as coach, “They have been throwing money down a rat hole in Columbia for years. Now they got themselves a bigger rat”.
By fitsnews June 17, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Commenter #1,
Seriously … we though everybody in the USC Sports Information Office went home after 5 p.m.
-FITS
By USC Grad June 17, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Hyman is the boss — he is responsible. The Mike Morgan situation was despicable, and the fact he let it happen was the final straw for me.
I paid the fees to get football tickets. I even looked the other way when they canned Charlie Mac. But that statement they released about Morgan told me they think us fans are stupid.
If I kept giving them my money after that then they’d be right. I have lost all respect for the athletics department and I’m done buying tickets. Based on the sales figures above I hope other fans are doing they same thing.
By flipnut June 17, 2009 at 11:04 pm
butts in the seats for 30min. After 30min, and USC’s great and loyal fans can be found in the parking lot.
By What? June 18, 2009 at 7:44 am
Shocking. When faced with facts Will it never seems you can respond with anything but that “quick wit” of yours.
You call the YES program a tax. Did you realize that prior to this year only USC and Vanderbilt did not have something similar to YES? See a trend here??
And I don’t work for USC. I’m just a fan that likes the direction the Athletics Dept is taking us.
By Toyota Kawaski June 18, 2009 at 8:57 am
Send Hyman back to Furman he only has one year left please board don’t re-up him.SOS citrus or better or its time for you to join Coach Holtz in FL.My seats/gamecock dues went from 4000 to 7000 grand this year for a piss poor product but like a sheep being lead to slaughter I’m hoping this is the year.Thanks Fits finally a story i agree with.
By Craig June 18, 2009 at 10:19 am
The dirty little secret is that the number of season tix sold could go lower. Hyman hasn’t actually collected all of that season ticket revenue yet. I know one Silver Spur that told them to go pack sand this year, but they sent him the bill for his tix anyway. they also keep sending him extensions to get his money in and that they are holding his tickets for him. What do you want to bet there are plenty of folks like that and that the number will be adjusted down when August rolls around?
By Joe June 18, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I thought the most embarassing thing Hyman did was BEFORE this whole Morgan debacle when he sent TWO cheerleaders to the NIT finals one year. Budget concerns you know.
THAT was truly embarassing, as it was seen on national TV, and made USC like a SCISA school. The Morgan thing is just more affirmation – as is this latest episode.
By HammerheadSC June 19, 2009 at 4:35 pm
USC Grad, I gave mine up to, and I will be going out to my parking spot still and supporting the team from there with a miller lite in hand. I can enjoy the game, the atmosphere, (and the women) just fine from there as long as they are going to fee me to death